Loom and process of weaving



Sept. 17, 1929; J. F. MUHEIM LOO" AND PROCESS OF WEAVING Filed April 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Sept. 17, 1929.

J. F. MUHEIM 1,728,357

LOOM AND PROCESS OF WEAVING Filed April 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Shed 2 Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH F. MUHEIM, OF'ESMOND, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR' TO THE ESMOND MILLS, OF ESMOND, RHODE ISLAND, ACORPORATION'OF RHODE ISLAND LOQM AND PROCESS OF WEAVING Application filed April 26, 1928. Serial No. 273,006.

This invention pertains to the manufacture of textile fabrics and more particularly to a method of and apparatus for weaving. There is at present very considerable demand for woven blankets and similar wide fabrics of solid color (except possibly for transverse stripes near the ends) having a single centrally disposed medallion-like figure or panel which in whole or in part is of a color or material contrasting with the solid body color. This medallion or figure may be purely ornamental or consist'of the coat of arms, name, or other distinguishing'mark of a club, hotel, camp, or other establishment,

" and is usually produced by weaving in a weft of, the proper color or material in accordance with the desired pattern. If single fabric is being woven, the body wefts are all carried to the back of the fabric and floated while the figure weft is being interwoven with the warps, or if double fabric is being woven, as for example, in a blanket, the back body weft may be floated across the figure while the front body weft may continue to weave, but is carried to the back or in front of the figure weft in accordance with the requirement of the pattern. WVhatever the type of body weave, the figure weft is usually floated from the selvage inwardly to the border of the figure, and in the finishing operation these floats of the figure weft are trimmed off. In weaving relatively narrow fabrics; when the medallion or panel is nearly as wide as the fabric; or when the weft is of cheap material;

the above usual method is sufficiently good,

but when the fabric is'wide and the medallion occupies a relatively small portion of its width, and particularly if the figure weft be of expensive material, such for example as wool or silk, the usual process is very wasteful and unduly expensive, since the long weft floats must be trimmed off and sold as waste at a price usually much lower than the cost of the raw material from which they were spun.

nearly to a minimum, thus avoiding excessive waste and facilitatingthe finishing operation, and for carrying this new method into effect I have provided effective means which accomplishes the desired result without comphcating the loom structure to any substantlal extent, without interfering with the orderly and usual operation of the loom parts, and employim simple mechanical expedients which can be incorporated in the loom at small cost and without difficulty. I

t is usual in broad looms, such as are used for weaving blankets and similar fabrics, to place the weft fork or detector near the center of width of the loom, but I have found in weaving medallion-like figures in accordance with my improved method and employing the usual shuttle having its eye near one end, that the weft fork often operates to stop the loom even though the weft is unbroken and has not been exhausted. A careful study in dicates that the improper response of the weft fork under such circumstances is due tothe fact that the float thread extending from one of the looper pins which I provide, as hereinafter more fully described, to the eye of the shuttle, is longer than the float reaching from the other looper pin to the shuttle eye, this difference in length being substantially equal to the length of the shuttle. In broadloon'is using a heavy weft as for blanket weaving, the shuttle is usually from 18 to 24 inches in length. If the weft fork is set to remain in-' active when engaged by the shorter run of yarn extending from one looper pin to the shuttle eye, I find that it may, and frequently does, respondto the relatively slacker and longer run of yarn extending from the other looper pin to the shuttle eye.- I To avoid this difliculty I have adopted the expedient of placing the shuttle eye substantially at the center of length" of the shuttle, thus obtaining a substantially equal run of yarn from each looper pin to the shuttle eye so that the tension is uniform and the weft fork may readily be adjusted to respond only to yarn breakage, exhaustion, or abnormally slack tension. y I

Wl'lile I have referred to the weaving of blankets as illustrative of one specific field of utility of my invention, I do not wish to confine myself to such particular use, since the invention is of broad appli -ation to the art of weaving. Furthermore, the invention is applicable to the production of intricate designs and is not necessarily limited to the production of a single figure or medallion midway between the edges of the fabric, but for convenience in illustration T have herein shown it as applied to the weaving of a centrally disposed medallion of geometrical design consisting of a single contrasting color upon a single weave body fabric of another color.

In the accompanying drawings I have illust-rated one desirable embodiment of means useful in performing my improved process, showing such means in its relation to wellknown parts of a loom, and I have also indicated diagrammatically certain steps in the formation of such a solid geometrical figure as above referred to, but I wish it to be understood that the drawings are merely by way of example and that the improved process may doubtless be carried into efiiect by other specific means than as herein disclosed. In the drawings. 7

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic end elevation of a loom structure of usual type, partly in vertical section, showing the relation of my improved apparatus to the breast beam and lay;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation, with certain parts in section and parts broken away, showing the lay of the loom to larger scale than in Fig. 1, and with my present apparatus applied thereto, the lay being indicated in its rearmost position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but showing only the left hand part of the lay, and indicating the position of the parts when the lay has nearly completed its forward beat, a part of a cam carried by the breast beam being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section on the line l4l of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 to 10 are diagrammatic plan views illustrating several steps in my improved process;

Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the appearance of fabric made in accordance with the present process; and

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11, showing the central medallion replaced by a border stripe.

Referring to the drawings numeral 1 designates the forward portion of a loom frame having the breast beam 2, the lay 3, the reed t, the harness 5, and the cloth beam 6. Referring to Fig. 5, the selvage warps of the body fabric are indicated at W and N respectively, it being understood that a sheet of warps extends in usual manner from one selvage to the other and that at the part of the fabric at which the figure is to be formed, usually at the center, a certain group of warp threads indicated at VF are selected to take part in the weaving of the figure. As shown in Fig. 5, the warps and are the selvage or border warps of the figure for any selected pick, and if the figure be of uniform width throughout these same warps may constitute the selvages of the figure during the entire operation. However, if the figure varies in width, different warps will from time to time form the selvage warps of the figure and to this end the figure warps of the group Y may be controlled by any suitable pattern mechanism as for example a jacquard or a dobby.

At a point about midway of the width of the loom, a weft detector D of any usual type is arranged, such detector remaining inactive so long as the weft is unbroken and under proper tension, but operating to initiate stoppage of the loom upon breakage or exhaustion of the weft or abnormal slack in the weft.

The body weft is indicated 7 in Fig. 5 and for illustrative purposes this weft may be considered to be of uniform color and material throughout the formation of the blanket or other article which is being woven. During the formation of the main part of the blanket, this body weft 7 interweaves with the warps across the entire width of the fabric, but during the weaving of the figure, these body wefts are caused to float between the selvage warps and of the figure. That is to say, the body wefts do not weave with the figure warps, if single fabric is being woven,all of the weft in such case being floated at the back of the fabric across the figure, but if double fabric is being woven, the rear body weft only may be floated, the body weft which ordinarily forms the front face of the fabric being transferred to the rear face, if the figure is to have a solid color, or alternating with the figure weft in accord ance with any desired pattern if the figure is not of plain color.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2, 3 and i, the lay is provided with brackets 8 and 8" on its forward face, such brackets providing guideways for vertically movable looper pins 9 and 10 respectively. These looper pins are disposed between the selvages JV and of the body fabric and the adjacent borders of the figure respectively. That is to say, as indicated in Fig. 5, the pins 9 and 10 are be tween the warps N and V5 and V7 and respectively, and these pins are preferably quite close to the outermost warps of the group lVhile it is preferred to mount the pins 9 and 10 in brackets as shown, it is conceivable that they may be mounted in other ways and I do not wish to limit myself to the particular arrangement herein disclosed.

The pins 9 and 10 are pivotally secured at their lower ends to actuating levers 12 a11d13 respectively. The lever 12 is fulcrumed upon a pin 14 carried by a bracket 15 depend ing from the lay, and a spring 16 acting upon the lever 12, tends to hold the pin 9 normally in its uppermost position. The pin 10 is likewise held normally in uppermostposition by a similar spring" not shown, it being understood that the lever 13 is supported in the same way as the lever 12. Preferably the levers 12 and 13 are provided with a stop l6 cngageahle with the lay to limit the upward movement of the pins 9 and 10. Each of the levers 12 and 13 isv furnished at its free end with a cam follower roll 17 and these cam follower rolls are adapted,as the lay beats forward, to engage stationary cams 20 mounted upon brackets'19 secured to the breast beam. Preferably each of these cams 20 comprises an active portion 21, and intermediate or dwell portion and a second active portion 23.

On the other hand, in accordance with the present invention, and as shown in Fig. 11, the blanket having the sclvagesfil and 32,

provided with the central figure or medallion '33, but in this case the floats of figure yarn, indicated at 34 and 35', extend outwardly only partway from the borders of the figure toward theselvages of the fabric. This not only saves a large amount of yarn, but facilitates the finishing operation, since the outer ends of these floats are not engaged with the selvageof the body fabric,andtl-1us need not be picked out, saving time and lessening danger of injury to the fabric.

Referring to Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive, my novel method of weaving is illustrated diagrammatically as embodying thefollowing steps: in Fig. 5 the body 'wefts are shown at 7 and a portion of the figure OP'IDGClELlliOIl is shown at 33. The last laid pick of fillingin the pattern is indicated at 36' and from the right hand margin of the figure this filling yarn 37 extends to the eye E of the shuttle S. it being assumed that during the passage of the shuttle from the right hand border of the figure to the salvage of the fabric, the body warps between these points have been raised so that the filling 37 does not interweave therewi-tl i. After this pick of filling has been laid, one or more picks of the body weft carried, in a second shuttle S may be laid to provide body fabric at the opposite side of the figure, it being understood that this body weft interwcaves with the warps the opposite sides of the figure but floats hand selvage Warp WV. -As the'lay beats forward tobeat up this last-named pick 38 of figure weft, the cam follower rolls 17 engage the risers21 of the cams 20- and gradually retract the pins 9 and 10, the pin 9 at this time being idle. \Vhen the cam follower rolls 17 reach the dwell 22 of the cams, the pins 9 and 110 are held int-he partly retracted position indicated in Fig. 3, so as still to retain the ,ortion 37 of the filling and maintain the necessary tension upon the pick-38 for a prop-. or laying of this pick into the fell of the cloth until the lay has almost reached the end of the forward beat, thereupon the cam followers 17' engage the second active ])Ol tion 23 of the cams 20, thus fully retracting the pins 9 and 10 and releasing the loop 37 of the figure weft.- Thus as the beat up of the lay is completed, the pick 38 of filling is heaten into the fell of the cloth, leaving a loop constituted by parts 37 of the filling weft,

projecting from the right hand edge of the figure. Thelegs of this loopare thus both united to the material at the border of the figure, while the closed portion or bend of the loop is spaced from the edge of the figure a distance substantially equal tothe distance of the pin 10 from such edge. As thepin 10 may be placed quiteclose to the border of the figure it is evident that the ext-ending loop of figure filling may be relatively short as compared with the entire distance between the border of the figure and the selvage of the fabric. The lay now beats back again, and the pins 9 and 10 are raised by the springs 16. One or more picks of body filling may now be laid, and then the shuttle S starts back toward the right hand side of the loom. The result being that the portion 39 of the filling, extending between the left hand border of the figure and the shuttle, is carried around the pin 9, providing the portion 40 of figure filling which is interwoven with the figure warps, and the float portion 41 exten ding from the right hand border of the figure to the shuttle. When now the lay beats up, the pins 9 and 10 are 're-- tracted at the end of thebeat up of the lay, leaving the portion 39 of the filling to form a short loop at the left hand border of thefigure. Repetitions of the abovecycles of operation are indicated in Figs. 9 and 10, wherein there is indicated the gradual building up of the central medallion or panel. I By providing the shuttle S with an eye in the center, it clear that the run of filling extending at the end of anypick from the shuttle to one of the pins 9 or 10 respectively, is always equal to that at the end of any other pick, and it is thus possible to adjust the de tector D in sucha way that it will respond very sensitively to any abnormal slack in the filling tension, but without danger of improper response dueto inequality in the length 0f the yarn fioat at the completion of successive picks.

Vhile I have herein illustrated retractable pins 9 and 10 as a means for retaining the yarn loops, I wish it to be understood that such pins are merely representative of any suitable form of retaining means, and that such. pins may be replaced by other and equivalent retaining devices without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the above description reference has been made particularly to the formation of a centrally disposed figure but in its broader aspect the invention has other utility, as for example in weaving patterns such as shown in Fig. 12 wherein the body fabric 40 has the selvages 41 and 42, and a color stripe 43 extending along the left hand selvage. For weaving such a fabric, a single one of the pins 9 abovedescribed may be employed. This pin retains loops 44 of the figure or striping filling so that it is not necessary to waste the filling which would ordinarily extend from the right hand border of the stripe to the right hand selvage 42. Doubtless the fundamental principle of the present invention may find other utilities in the art of weaving figure fabrics. and If contemplate that all such utilities fall within the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

l Vhile, for convenience in illustration and description I have shown a very simple geometrical figure in the center of the fabric, the invention is equally applicable to the pro duction of more complicated figures involving the use of several color wefts or wefts of different material and interweaving of certain portions of the body fabric with the figure weft. Furthermore the body fabrics need not be of a plain or solid color or material, but

may be woven in accordance with any desired pattern and by the use of usual pattern mechanism such for example as a acquard.

I claim:

1. That method of weaving fabric having a figure intermediate its edges which comprises as steps interweaving a body-weft with the warp in forming the body of the fabric, fioating said body-weft between the borders of the figure, interweaving a figure-weft with those warps only which are within the confines of the figure, and causing the figureweft to form float-loops which extend laterally from the border of the figure and terminate at points intermediate such border and the selvage of the fabric.

2. That method of weaving fabric having a figure intermediate its edges which comprises as steps interweaving a body-weft with the warp in forming the body of the fabric, fioating said body-weft between the borders of the figure, interweaving a figure-weft with those warps only which are within the confines of the figure, thereby causing successive picks of the fi re-Weft to m float ext nd ng from the border of the figure, said floats being wholly free fromthe fabric except at the border of the figure.

3. That method of weaving fabric having a figure intermediate its edges which comprises as steps interweaving a body-weft with the warp in forming the body of the fabric, floating said body- Weft between the borders of the figure, and interweaving a figure-weft with those warps only which are within the confines of the figure, thereby causing the figure-weft to form laterally extending floatloops, the legs of each loop being united to the fabric at the border of the figure and the bends of the loops being wholly free.

4. That method of weaving fabric having a figure intermediate its edges which comprises as steps interweaving a body-weftwith the warp in forming the body of the fabric. floating said body-weft between the borders of the figure, interweaving a figure-weft with those warps only which are within the confines of the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, detaining the figure-weft adjacent to the point at which its begins to interweave with the figure warp, at each pickof the shuttle, to form a float-loop, and releasing each loop so formed upon the completion of the next beatup of the lay.

5. That method of weaving fabric having a figure intermediate its edges which comprises as steps interweaving a body-weft with the warp in forming the body of the fabric, floating said body-weft between the borders of the figure, interweaving a figure-weft with those warps only which are within the confines of the figure, the figure-weftfloating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, and temporarily detaining the floating figure-weftbetween each pair of successive picks thereof at points intermediate the borders of the figure and the selvages of the fabric whereby to form float-loops extending from the borders of the figure, part way to the respective selvages.

6. That method of weaving fabric having a figure intermediate its edges which comprises as steps interweaving a body-weft with the warp in forming the body of the fabric, floating said body-weft between the borders of the figure, interweaving a figureweft with those warps only which are within the confines of the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, engaging the floating figure-weft result- I iii with the warp in forming the body of the fabric, floating said body-weft between the borders of thefigure,interweaving a figure-weft with those warps onlywhieh are within the confines of the figure, the-figure weft floating beyond the lateral bordersgof the figure, providing retaining means upon the lay of the loom at points intermediate the selva'ge warps and the outermost figure-warp respectively,causing the floating figure-wefts resulting from successive picks thereofto be detained by one of saidretaining means, thereby to form a float-"loop, and releaslng,

borders of the fi 'ure interweavin a fi 'ure-c b 7 l C: D

weft with those warps only which' are within the confines of the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of'the figure, and causing the floating figure-weft resulting from successive picks thereof to wrap around retaining means disposed intermediate the border of thefigure and the selvage of the fabric thereby forming float loops attached to the fabric the figure. I I y 9. That method of weaving'fabric having a figure intermediate its edges which comprises as steps interweaving a bodyrweft with the warp in forming the body of the fabric, floating said body-weft between the borders of the figure, interweaving a figureweft with those warps only which are within the confines of the figure, thefigure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, and causing the floating figure-weft resulting from successive picks thereof to wrap around retractable retaining means disposed intermediatethe border of the figure and the selvage of the fabric, and thereafter retracting said retaining meansto release the figure-weft float.

10. That method of weaving fabric having a figure intermediate its edges which comprises as steps interweaving a body-weft with the warp in forming the body of the fabric, floating said body-weft between the borders of the figure, interweaving a figure-weft with those warps only which are within the confines of the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, providing a retractable retaining pin on the lay of the loom between each selvage warp and the outermost figure warp, causing the figure-weft at each pick thereof to wrap about one of said pins immediately before it only adjacent tothe borderof interweaves with the figure-warp, and retractingsaid pin to release the detained weft as the lay beats up following each pick.

11. Apparatus of the class described for the figure-weft floats to forin ed ding weaving fabric having a medallion-like fig nre intermediate its selvages, said apparatus including a figure weft shuttle which moves from one selvage tothe other ofthe fabric and comprising means for interweaving a body weft with warps in forming a body fabric and for floating said 'body-wefts'between the borders of the figure and means for engaging the figure-weft with those warps ,only'which are within the confines ofcthe figure. t I

12. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a pick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding means and pick forming means to,

interweave a body-weft with the warp in forming a body fabric and to fioat said bodyweft across certain warp threads in forming a figure, and for interweaving a figurel weft with said certain warp threads alone to form thefigure, the figure-weftfloating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, and means interposed between theselvage of the fabric and the border of thefigure for temporarilyengaging the floating figure-weft thereby to form loops whose closed ends are free from the fabri 13. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a pick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding meansand pick forming means to interweave a body-weft with the warp in forming a body fabric and to float said bodyweft across certain warp threads in forming a figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certain warp threads alone to form the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, and means engaging the figuresweft to form float-loops whose legs are united to the fabric at the border'ofthe figure and whose bends are wholly free from the fabric.

14. combination in a weaving loom having a lay, apick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding means and pick forming means to interweave a body-weft with. the warp in forming a bodyfabric and to float said body weftacross certain warp threads in forming a figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certain warp threadsalone to form the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, and means enloops which are wholly free from the fabric except at the border of the figure. I

15. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a p ck formmg means, and warp sheddingmeans, means for actuating the forming a body fabric and to float said bodyweft across certam warp threads in forminga with saidcertain warp threads aloneto form I means and pick forming means to interweave a body-weft with the warp in weft across certain warp threads in forming" figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certain warp threads alone to form the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, and being at tached to the fabric only atthe border of the figure, and means emraging the figure-weft fioats to form loops thereof extending from the'borders of the figure and terminating. at points intermediate such borders and the selvuges of the fabric.

17, In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a pick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding me ns and pick forming means to interweave a body-weft with the warp in forming a body fabric and to float said bodyweft across certain warp threads in forming a figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certain warp threads alone to form he figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, and means for temporarily detaining the floating figureweft resulting from successive picks thereof whereby to form a fioatloop extending laterally from the border of the figure, and for releasing the retained loop just prior to the end of the following beat-up of the lay.

18. In combination in a weaving loom hav ing a lay, a pick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding" means and pick forming means to inter-weave a body-weft with the warp in forming a body fabric and to float said body .E L .L I weit across certain warp bllTQttClS in forming a figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certain warp threads alone to form the figure, the figure-weft fioating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, and retaining means upon the lay at a point intermediate the selvagewarp and the adjacent figure-warp for detaining a loop of the figureeveft between successive picks the eof while the fig ure-weft is being interwoven with the figurewa us, said means releasing the figure-weft on the next beat-up of the lay.

19. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a pick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding means and pick forming means to interweave a bot yweft with the warp in formin a body fabric and to float said bodyn' "t across certain warp threads in forming a figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certain warp threads alone to form the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, means carried by the layfor engaging the floating figureweft resulting from successive picks whereby temporarily to retain said floating weft in the form of a loop extending laterally from the border of the figure, and means operative as the lay completes its beat-up movement for releasing the retained loop.

20. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a pick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding means and pick forming means to interweave a body-weft with the warp in forming a body fabric and to float said bodyweft across certain warp threads in forming a figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certain warp threads alone to form the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, and retractable means, disposed intermediate the selvage of the fabric and the border of the figure, about which the figure-weft is wrapped between successive picks, said retractable means being retracted at each beat of the lay to release the figure-weft.

21. In combination in a weaving loom havin a lay, a pick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding means and pick forming means to 'interweave a body-weft with the warp in forming a body fabric and to float said bodyweft across certain warp threads in forming a figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certain warp threads alone to form the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, vertically movable pins at opposite sides respectively of the group of figure-warps, each pin nor mally being so positioned that the figureweft wraps about it just prior to interweaving with the figure-warps, and means for retracting each pin from the float wrapped around it as the lay completes its beat-up movement.

22. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a pick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding means and pick forming means to interweave a body-weft with the warp in forming a body fabric and to float said bodyweft across certain warp threads in forming a figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certain warp threads alone to form the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, a pair of vertically movable pins mounted upon the lay forward of the shuttle path and disposed respectively at opposite sides of the group of figure-warps, means normally holding the said pins in uppermost position, and means, including a cam, for moving said pins downwardly as the lay beats-up.

23. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a pick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding means and pick forming means to interweave a body-Weft with the warp in forming a body fabric and to float said bodyweft across certain Warp threads in forming a figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certain warp threads alone to form the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, a pair of vertically movable pins carried by the lay, said pins being at opposite sides respectively of the group offigure-Warps, each pin normally being so positioned that the figureweft wraps about it just prior to interweaving with the figure-warps, and means for partially retracting the pin while permitting it to retain the weft during the forward beat of the lay, and for completing t-heretraction of the pin to release the weft just before the end of the forward beat of the lay.

24. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a pick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding means and pick forming means to interweave a body-weft with the warp in forming a body fabric and to float said bodyweft cross certain warp threads in forming a figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certain warp threads alone to form the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, a pair of vertically movable pins mounted in guides at the forward face of the lay and disposed respectively at opposite sides of the group of figurewarps and between the latter and the respective selvages of the fabric, springs tending to hold said pins in uppermost position, a lever connected to each pin, and stationary cams engageable by said levers as the lay beats-up for retracting the pin.

25. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a pick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding means and pick forming means to interweave a body-weft with the warp in forming a bodyfabric and to float said bodyweft across certain warp threads in forming a figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certain warp threads alone to form the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, a pair of vertically movable pins mounted in guides at the forward face of the lay and disposed respectively at opposite sides of the group of figurewarps and between the latter and the respective selvages of the fabric, springs tending to hold said pins in uppermost position, and means for retracting said pins in two stages as the lay beats-up.

26. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a pick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding means and pick forming means to interweave a body-weft with the warp in respectively at opposite sides of the group of figure-warps andbetween the latter and the respective selvages of the fabric, springs tending to holdsaid pins in uppermost position, and cam means for retracting said pins part way during the forward beat of the lay, and for completing the retraction of the pins just before the lay completes its forward movement.

27. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, a'pick forming means, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding means and pick forming means to interweave a body-weft with the warp in forming a body fabric and to float said said body-weft across certain warp threads in forming a figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with saidcertain warp threads along" to form the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borde s ofthe figure,a pair of verticallymovable pins mounted in guides at the forward face of the lay and disposed respectively at opposite sides of the group of figure-warps and between the latter and the respective sel-' vages of the fabric, springs tending to hold said pins in uppermost position, and a stepped cam for retracting each pin, said cams retracting the pins part-way immediately after passage of the weft through the shed,

permitting the pins to dwell, and then C0111,

pleting the retraction of the pins as the lay completes its forward movement. I

28. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, shuttles, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the shedding means and shuttles to interweave a body-weft with-the warp in forming a body fabric and to float said body-weft across certain warp threads in forming, a medallion-like figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certaln warp threads alone to form the figure, the

figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure in the form of loops free at one end at least from the fabric, a weft detector disposed substantially midway between the selvages of the fabric, and retractable pins for temporarily detaining said loops so as to insure substantially equal tension of figure-weft floats extending from either border of the figure to the figure -weft shuttle.

29. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, shuttles, and warp shedding means, meansfor actuating the shedding means and shuttles to interweave a body-weft with the warp in forming a body fabric and to float said body-weft across certain warp threads in forming a medallion-like figure, and for interweaving a figure-weft with said certain warp threads alone to form the figure, means for temporarily detaining the figure-wefts floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure in the form oi loops whose closed ends are free from the fabric, and a weft detector disposed substantially midway between the selvages of the fabric, the shuttle for the figure-weft having a centrally disposed delivery eye. 7

30. In combination in a weaving loom having a lay, and warp shedding means, means for actuating the loom to interweave a bodyweft with the warp in forming a body fabric and to float said body-weft across certain warp threads in forming a medallion-like figure, and means including a figure Weft shuttle having a centrally disposed delivery eye for interweaving-a figure-weft with said certain warp threads alone to form the figure, the figure-weft floating beyond the lateral borders of the figure, a pair of vertically movable pins carried by the lay, said pins being at opposite sides respectively of the group of figure warps, each pin normally being so positioned that the figure-weft wraps about it just prior to interweaving with the figure warps, and means for retractingeach pin to release the float wrapped around it, a weft detector disposed substantially midway between the selvages of the fabric.

Signed by me at Esniond, Rhode Island, this 24th day of April, 1928.

JOSEPH F. MUHEIM. 

